1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to crayfish and similar crustaceans, and more particularly to apparatus for harvesting crayfish from ponds.
2. Prior Art
Crayfish have long been considered a delicacy in the Scandinavian countries, France and in parts of the United States. The traditional method of harvesting crayfish was through the use of underwater wire mesh traps set out in bodies of shallow water which crayfish naturally inhabited.
With the increased popularity of crayfish as an edible food the supply of crayfish from natural habitats was neither stable enough nor plentiful enough. This led to the development of artificial ponds used to raise crayfish, and the need to develop methods and apparatus for easily, quickly and cheaply harvesting the crayfish from these ponds.
Examples of some of the newer methods and devices to harvest crayfish are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,449,479 issued on May 22, 1984 to Howard J. Saucier and entitled "Crayfish Harvesting, Sheltering and Spacing Apparatus"; 4,554,759 issued on Nov. 26, 1985 to Robert J. Edling et al and entitled "Method and Means for Harvesting Crayfish"; and 4,563,830 issued on Jan. 14, 1986 to C. Dean Cain et al and entitled "Process & Apparatus for Harvesting Soft Shell Crayfish".
Despite the extensive research that has been conducted both in the United States and abroad there still remains the problem of finding a less labor intensive method and apparatus for harvesting of crayfish, particularly crayfish raised in man-made ponds.